Houston SaberCats Rugby

What Houston SaberCats Rugby does

Houston SaberCats Rugby is a professional rugby franchise competing in Major League Rugby (MLR), founded in 2016 and headquartered at SaberCats Stadium, 2055 Mowery Road, Houston, Texas. The organization fields a men's professional rugby team and operates a small front office of 51-100 employees, with revenue generated from three primary streams: matchday ticket sales (day passes from $25 with free admission for children 12 and under, plus season ticket memberships sold through the Flicket platform), merchandise and apparel sales, and corporate sponsorships with a named roster of local and regional partners including BCM Healthcare, Woodforest National Bank, ICRYO, Platypus Brewing, and KIAH (CW39).

Beyond match operations, the franchise runs the SaberCats Academy for youth player development, 'Cats in the Community' outreach, official watch parties at Houston venues, and a Houston Area Rugby development program, all of which function as both brand-building and talent-pipeline activities. The franchise also markets SaberCats Stadium as a venue for corporate events, private functions, and third-party tournaments (notably NCR.RUGBY championship events in December 2025), diversifying venue utilization beyond MLR fixtures.

Distribution and go-to-market are direct-to-consumer: tickets are sold through the official website, the Flicket platform, the on-site box office, and NCR.RUGBY for championship events, while merchandise is sold at-stadium and online. The organization reached its first MLR championship game in June 2025 (a 28-22 loss to the New England Free Jacks) and transitioned General Manager leadership to Alison Lenton, the first female GM in franchise history, on June 30, 2025.

Name

Houston SaberCats Rugby

Legal name

Houston SaberCats Rugby

Website

https://houstonsabercats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Houston SaberCats Rugby is a privately held professional rugby franchise competing in Major League Rugby from Houston, Texas, selling tickets, merchandise, and corporate sponsorships to fans, families, and local business partners while operating SaberCats Stadium, a youth academy, and community outreach programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Individual-Sport Clubs & Teams (Cycling Teams, Athletics/Track Clubs, Swimming Clubs, etc.) (MPAKABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rugby (Union & League) Leagues (MPAKAAAG), Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors) (MPAKALAA), Individual Sports Events (Tennis, Golf, Boxing/MMA, Athletics) (MPAGAMAC)

Keywords

• Professional rugby team
• Rugby matchday tickets
• Sports merchandise apparel
• Rugby academy youth development
• Corporate sports sponsorships

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to home games at SaberCats Stadium, including day passes and season tickets.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnerships with corporate sponsors who pay for branding, advertising, and association with the team.
3. Merchandise and Apparel Sales: Sale of team merchandise, jerseys, and memorabilia to fans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Houston SaberCats operates a professional rugby franchise competing in Major League Rugby (MLR), delivering live matchday entertainment at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, Texas. The team sells season memberships and day passes (starting at $25) directly to fans, retails team merchandise and apparel, runs the SaberCats Academy for youth player development, and monetizes corporate sponsorships and stadium event hosting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Houston SaberCats Professional Rugby Team (MLR matchday experience) Live professional rugby matchday entertainment competing in Major League Rugby (MLR), offered to fans in Houston and the surrounding region, including regular-season and playoff matches.
• Season Tickets and Day Passes Annual season ticket memberships and individual match day passes for championship rugby events at SaberCats Stadium; day passes start at $25 with free admission for children 12 and under.
• SaberCats Academy Youth rugby development program providing intensive player development, high-performance training, and community-based rugby pathways for the next generation of rugby players.
• SaberCats Stadium Event Hosting Venue rental at SaberCats Stadium (2055 Mowery Rd, Houston, TX 77045) for corporate events, private functions, watch parties, and community gatherings.
• SaberCats Merchandise and Apparel Retail sale of official Houston SaberCats team merchandise, jerseys, and memorabilia sold to fans via the official website, the SaberCats Stadium store, and digital channels.
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages Recurring corporate sponsorship and partnership packages providing brand visibility, advertising rights, hospitality, and community association through the Houston SaberCats franchise and MLR season.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most successful season in franchise history - reached MLR championship for first time

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Texas Sport for Healing Fund CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2025Houston SaberCats joined 37 sports organizations in launching the Texas Sport for Healing Fund to support long-term recovery for communities impacted by July 2025 flooding in Central Texas. The coalition includes teams from multiple professional sports leagues in Texas and has contributed over $6.3 million to flood relief efforts to date.
• BCM HealthcareminorOthersHealthcare sponsor with logo displayed on the official sponsors page.
• Woodforest National Bank (WNB)minorOthersBanking/financial sponsor with logo displayed on the official sponsors page.
• ICRYOminorOthersCryotherapy services sponsor with logo displayed on the official sponsors page.
• Platypus BrewingminorOthersLocal Houston brewery that hosts official watch parties for the SaberCats. Partner in community events.
• KIAH (CW39)minorOthersLocal Houston TV station (CW39) sponsor with logo displayed on official sponsors page.
• Houston AstrosminorOthersPart of the Texas Sport for Healing Fund coalition - fellow Houston professional sports team.
• Houston RocketsminorOthersPart of the Texas Sport for Healing Fund coalition - fellow Houston professional sports team.
• Dallas CowboysminorOthersPart of the Texas Sport for Healing Fund coalition - fellow Texas professional sports team.
• San Antonio SpursminorOthersPart of the Texas Sport for Healing Fund coalition - fellow Texas professional sports team.
• Major League Rugby (MLR)coreOthersThe league in which the Houston SaberCats compete. MLR and the MLR shield design are registered trademarks. League sponsors include Macron, Globant, Sportable, and others.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• New England Free Jacks: The Houston SaberCats' direct MLR peer and the 2025 MLR champion (defeated Houston 28-22 in the final). Comparable as a professional rugby franchise in the same league with similar ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise business model.
• Miami Sharks: Direct MLR peer operating a comparable professional rugby franchise with similar ticket, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue streams in another major US market.
• Utah Warriors: Direct MLR Western Conference rival; Houston defeated Utah 33-19 in the 2025 conference finals. Operates an equivalent professional rugby franchise model with ticketing, sponsorships, and academy-style community programs.
• Dallas Jackals: Direct MLR peer and Texas market neighbor. Operates an equivalent professional rugby franchise competing for regional sponsorship dollars and Texas rugby fans in overlapping geographic territory.
• Seattle Seawolves: Direct MLR peer and former league champion; operates an equivalent professional rugby franchise model with season-ticket memberships, corporate sponsorships, and community programming.
• San Diego Legion: Direct MLR peer with comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise economics. One of the league's more established franchises operating a similar professional rugby team business.
• Old Glory DC: Direct MLR peer operating a professional rugby franchise in the Eastern Conference with comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and community-academy programs.
• Rugby Football Club Los Angeles (RFCLA): Direct MLR peer that Houston defeated in the 2025 playoffs for the franchise's first playoff victory. Comparable LA-based professional rugby franchise with similar revenue mix.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Texans: Houston-market sports incumbent and fellow Texas Sport for Healing Fund coalition member. Comparable as a Houston-based professional sports franchise competing for the same local sponsorship and entertainment dollar, though at vastly different scale and league tier.

Others

• Major League Rugby (MLR): The league governing body in which the SaberCats compete. Comparable as the platform/ecosystem provider whose collective media rights, league sponsors (Macron, Globant, Sportable), and scheduling underpin Houston's commercial model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HOU_sabercats
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@HoustonSaberCats
• Facebookfacebook.com/HoustonSaberCats
• Instagraminstagram.com/houstonsabercats
• TikToktiktok.com/@houstonsabercats
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/houstonstrikers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Houston SaberCats Rugby